Ever wonder how some massage therapists seem to have it all in place and together? I did when I first founded Corporate Massage Kneads following my training at the Atlanta School of Massage!
Since then, I have learned some tips and tricks along the way to make my work life easier. I will detail some ideas here in hopes that you too can update, upgrade, or gain some innovative ideas to better manage your business of offering massage.
In this article, we will discuss how to succeed as a new massage therapist. This will be especially useful for massage therapy school students that are interested in starting their own business.
Specialization is key to long-term success as a massage therapist. Know and honor yourself by engaging with the type of clients that you prefer (working parents, athletes, employees in a corporate office) are certain groups that I have enjoyed working with over the years. I have found that each group offers different circumstances and different skill sets. Another question to ask is what time of day you prefer to work? I started my business 16 years ago offering mobile chair massage due to having young children at home and it was easier to find a babysitter. We all have peak periods of the week which fit our schedules better. What is yours?
Self-Care is important each day regardless of offering a table or chair massage. Proper nutrition, hydration, strength training along with stretching allows us to continue to enjoy our physical job. A recent addition to my self-care is enjoying yoga each week. It allows my muscles to relax and stretch in several ways.
Continuing Education is required for recertification in most states and allows us to expand our knowledge and techniques. Over 20+ years, it is amazing to me that there is still so much I do not know. I have more interest in offering Reflexology now vs. in the past and helping clients with Plantar Fasciitis concerns. Now that I am renting space out of a local gym, I tend to work with clients that are more physically active, and that allows for different modalities and techniques.
While a lot of career success in massage therapy is built on thinking long-term, there is a lot you can do in the short term. For example, successful massage therapists are well-organized and run their businesses effectively. Here are some areas to prioritize in a massage therapy business.
Accounting software is key to managing invoicing, confirming payments, online banking, and year-end reports. Well worth the money spent to organize all year-end tax information.
Online schedulers are key to my success when scheduling clients, updating SOAP notes along with getting paid PROMPTLY. I have found schedulers to be key to keeping my business running when I am in session with a client. As you know, offering chair massage is a fast-paced business so I can accept and see new bookings immediately. Taking payment to reserve the time for a chair massage ensures that the client will show up and that payment has already been issued saves time following each session. Another huge benefit of using this tool is that it calculates your monthly income, runs some reports to hand off to the HR corporate contact, AND sends a text reminder in advance to the client receiving the chair massage.
Online banking is key to have set up and have easy access to either on your mobile phone or laptop. This is important to check your balance, ensure credit card payments are coming in and view your monthly statements.
Build a team of professionals to help you and your business along the way. A professional lawyer, bookkeeper, and accountant save you money and time overall. Outsource what activity is not comfortable for you to free up your time to be available for what you are chosen to do, massage.
With all the systems in place, I have found it easier to continue to offer and manage your massage bookings. As you can imagine, referrals are a fantastic way to build a network within your community.
I continue to strive to have each, and every massage is a success with focused intentions, a comfortable space to offer my services, and a professional attitude and appearance ALWAYS. These are the pillars of a successful practice taught at The Atlanta School of Massage back in 2001!
If you’re ready to start a career you’ll love as a massage therapist, take the first step by contacting the Atlanta School of Massage. The Atlanta School of Massage is located at 2 Dunwoody Park South, Atlanta, GA 30338. Contact us by calling 770-454-7167 or by filling out a form on this site. You can also learn more about a career in massage by downloading our free career below!
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